What is a Green Belt certification?

A Green Belt certification is a certification in the Lean Six Sigma process improvement methodology. There are various levels called “Belts” with the most common ones to be Yellow Belt, Green Belt and Black Belt. This blog explains the Green Belt certification.

In a Green Belt certification course, you will learn a thorough understanding of the 5 phases of the Lean Six Sigma methodology without the use of advanced statistics. The 5 phases are called DMAIC or Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. Green Belts tend solve problems with more hands-on, easy, and simple to use tools. Many problems can be solved this way.

What kind of problems? Think about challenges in your organization related to cycle times and/or errors and defects in your organization. So, if you have customers complaining about slow delivery times, and/or defects in the product and services you deliver, the Green Belt course is the course to fix those!

Is a Green Belt certification worth it?

A Green Belt certification is one of the best things you can do in your career. It changes the way you think about problem solving forever. Using data driven decision making (but not using advanced statistics) and a structured method greatly increases your chances of success in solving problems versus the traditional trial-and-error method. In addition, Green Belts are in high demand in the market, thus boosting your career and salary prospects. You will grow in confidence to solve many types of problems in your organization, and it doesn’t matter if you are familiar with the process or not. You will become proficient at facilitating using the advice from subject matter experts. All of this sets you apart from your peers!

What is the key to success in a Green Belt training?

The ability to permanently solve problems is one of the most highly valued skills in any organization. This is exactly what a Green Belt training will make you proficient at. During the training, you will be taught how to uncover the root causes behind a problem and not jumping to solutions right away! Traditionally what happens, is that we are inpatient and immediately want to implement solutions. This often fails because we don’t understand the problem and the root-causes behind it. In the DMAIC framework we describe the problem in Define, quantify the problem in Measure, find root-causes in Analyze, implement solutions for the root-causes in Improve, and ensure sustainability in Control. A proven method that being used in many organizations across the world.

This is one of the reasons why Lean Six Sigma practitioners are wanted; they solve issues and prevent firefighting; they create solutions that are sustainable.

What new skills do I learn?

The Green Belt course is unlike many other type of training courses because of the variety of potential new skills that you will learn. To a varying degree, you will have the ability to learn the following new skills:

• Business acumen
• Analytical skills
• Problem Solving
• Project Management
• Change Management

With the Green Belt course, you start to think more as a business leader because you are solving problems for organizations that has value to them. This value is often called business cases, and that’s why you will learn business acumen to develop those.

You will also learn to solve problems by using data analysis rather than reacting to anecdotal information. Therefore, you will become stronger in your analytical skills.

Problem solving, we already talked about!

Since as a Green Belt you often tend to solve problems via projects, you will also become strong in project management.

Lastly, you can’t solve problems alone! You need people and stakeholders to help you. Process improvement means change! You are a change agent! Therefore, using the tools alone is not sufficient, you also need to learn to influence people to embrace change.

What is the benefit for my organization?

Delivering tangible results for the organization is the ultimate goal of any Lean Six Sigma initiative. This ensures that the program builds credibility, creates early momentum and buy-in throughout the organization. It is not uncommon that completed projects deliver 4-5x Return on Investment (ROI) from the Lean Six Sigma initiative in terms of cost savings, quality improvements and/or better customer experience. Delivering breakthrough results is the power of Lean Six Sigma! Any organization has problems be it process or product related! And organizations struggle to effectively deal with this! Lean Six Sigma can often be the answer! This makes Lean Six Sigma timeless. As long as organizations have problems, Lean Six Sigma can solve them.

Who should attend the course?

Anybody with a desire for quality, processes, and performance excellence, can excel and thrive in the training. If you want to learn how to reduce process cycle times, and/or improve the quality of your work through less errors and defects in a hands-on practical manner, the Green Belt training is for you! Often Green Belts are professionals that have a day job, and they want to learn problem solving skills to help them improve processes in their job or their department.

Does a Green Belt certification expire?

A Green Belt certification never expires. These are unique skills that you will use for the rest of your career. If you ever get a chance at any point in your career to obtain a Lean Six Sigma certification, take it!

In fact, practicing and applying these skills never stops! Once you have done your first project and get familiar with the methodology you will see the power of Lean Six Sigma! Your next project will go many times faster and applying these tools in practice will become a way of thinking. Solving problems doesn’t have an expiration date!

Green belt vs Black belt Training?

The difference between a Green Belt and Black Belt is the use of statistics in solving problems. Green Belts tend solve problems with more hands-on, easy, and simple to use tools. Black Belts work on more complex projects with more in-depth data analysis and statistics. No prerequisites are required for both!

Where to get a Green Belt certification?

There are many providers offering Green Belt certification at various price levels. Therefore, it is important that you get your certificate from a reputable firm. Also cheaper doesn’t mean better. It is about the depth of the curriculum and the way of teaching (needs to be hands-on and practical!) that sets providers apart from each other. Also learning the theory is not enough, only by applying the tools in practice (doing a process improvement project or two) will you start to understand the principles. Look for a provider with credentials and accreditations that proves the curriculum is of high-quality standards. For example, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is one such accredited organization that aims to set international standards for Lean Six Sigma.

The Lean Six Sigma Company is one of few the providers in the world, that is accredited with two such important standards:

• ISO 18404; Skills and competencies required to become a Lean Six Sigma professional
• ISO 13053; Tools required in the Lean Six Sigma curriculum

In addition, The Lean Six Sigma Company has many experienced trainers, that can also help you with coaching your project. Learn more here: https://www.theleansixsigmacompany.us/green-belt-training/